If you decide there is going to be a challenge down the road and that is going to deter you, nothing will happen. If you go down that road anyway, you’ll solve the problem when you get there

Adah Almutairi

Jun 23, 2025

Hannah Watton, Rong Hua, naomi arnold, Poline Sidiropoulu, Jenny Yi-Chen Pai, Nagyung Kim, Paige Yun & Ghita Amrani

8 contributors

If you decide there is going to be a challenge down the road and that is going to deter you, nothing will happen. If you go down that road anyway, you’ll solve the problem when you get there

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Pushing Through Barriers: Adah Almutairi on Embracing Challenges

In celebration of International Women in Engineering Day, we highlight the words of the chemist and nanomedicine engineer, Adah Almutairi.

This week, we reflect on Almutairi's perspective on the importance of pursuing something despite knowing there will be specific challenges along the way:

**Professor Adah Almutairi:** “If you decide there is going to be a challenge down the road and that is going to deter you, nothing will happen. If you go down that road anyway, you’ll solve the problem when you get there.”

A Pioneer in Nanomedeicine and Global Influence

Adah Almutairi is a scientist and professor at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Her extensive work incorporates elements of materials chemistry with nanotechnology. She has also worked on building instruments for the future of biology and medicine. Notably, she worked to develop several nanoprobes for in vivo molecular imaging. In 2021, she was named one of Forbes’ top ten most influential women engineers worldwide.

Born to Saudi parents, Almutairi navigated cultural expectations while pursuing her ambitions abroad. After receiving a sports scholarship to Occidental College in Los Angeles, she faced concerns from some members of her extended family and community about a young woman studying overseas alone, reflecting traditional norms at the time. However, her father remained a steadfast supporter of her education, something she credits as instrumental to her success. Almutairi also highlights the encouragement she received from mentors like Professor Tetsuo Otsuki, who once told her she was "a diamond in the dirt."

Leadership Rooted in Redefining Possibility

Almutairi was often discouraged by those around her, who didn't think it was appropriate for her to pursue education and her chosen career. However, with the help of those around her and her determination, she was able to travel far. Almutairi also encourages us not to be deterred by potential barriers on the road – these matters can be solved one at a time.

Almutairi's words align with the Laidlaw value of being #Ambitious and the Oxford Character Project Leadership Virtue of #Courage. Being ambitious means dreaming beyond what is expected of you, to achieve what was once seen as unimaginable. Being courageous means to stand tall and remain resolute in the face of potential challenges down the road, and not to be deterred.

A Call to Reflect

We invite you to reflect on Adah Almutairi's powerful leadership insights. Share your thoughts in the comments: How can you embrace ambition and courage in the face of uncertainty?